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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 09 >> He remembered an asthma attack coming on but nothing else until he came round in ICU three days later.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of a severe asthma attack. Was in intensive care for 3 days and on a general ward for about ten days.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 37 >> He had an accident riding on his motorbike but remembered nothing of his time in intensive care.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 after having a motorbike accident. Spent 9 days in intensive care and 16 days in a trauma ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 17 >> Because of his pneumonia and chest pains, he was admitted to intensive care where doctors could keep a close eye on his progress.

Has sickle cell anaemia and was experiencing chest pain, which turned out to be pneumonia. Breathing difficulties led to ICU admission and, because of multiple organ failure, spent about 12 days in ICU. Following ICU, spent 2 weeks in general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 26 >> He remembered the conversation he had with his wife before he was sedated in intensive care but nothing else until he came round about two weeks later

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of severe pneumonia. Spent 30 days in intensive care and 8 days in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 06 >> Her family were all at the hospital when they found out she was critically ill, and she later learnt that she had pneumonia and septicaemia.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2003 because of pneumonia, and developed septicaemia. Spent 3 weeks in ICU, 36 hours in a High Dependency Unit and 5 weeks on a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 30 >> She didn't feel ill or have pain but a serious throat infection and sepsis caused her breathing difficulties.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of epiglottitis and severe sepsis. Spent about 6 days in intensive care and 5 days in a High Dependency Unit.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 01 >> She had heard doctors discuss what was happening to her and saw the shock on the doctor's face when he realised he was treating one of his colleagues.

Was admitted to intensive care in 1998 because of a complication during pregnancy, leading to septic shock. Was in ICU for 11 days and in general ward for 2 weeks. Recovered well and has had no further problems related to that illness.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 11 >> Her daughter was transferred from a local to a city hospital to have tests and treatment in a specialist unit.

Her 14-month-old daughter was admitted to intensive care in 2002 because of pneumococcal meningitis. Sadly, she died. Her organs were donated to help two other children survive.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 34 >> After his first stay in an ICU he was transferred to another hospital for surgery and ended up spending nearly eight months in hospital.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2001 because of acute pancreatitis. Spent 46 days in intensive care and 1 month in general ward. Needed to have surgery and was transferred to another hospital. Spent 4 weeks in hospital before surgery, 30 days in intensive care and 3 months in general ward. Overall length of stay in 2 hospitals was 7 ½ months.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 29 >> She recalled being ill and a vague conversation with medical staff about what was wrong, but wasn't aware that her lungs had collapsed until she came

Had a planned hysterectomy in 2004. Complications led to a second operation. Was admitted to intensive care because of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 1 day in High Dependence Unit and 1 week in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 71 plus >> Interview 31 >> He vaguely recalled being on the ward before having surgery and then coming round in intensive care.

Went into hospital for a knee replacement operation in 2003. Was admitted to intensive care because of organ failure (lungs). Spent 2 weeks in intensive care and 3 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 36 >> She only knew what had really happened because she was given a diary of her time in hospital.

Was admitted to hospital in 2005 for surgery to remove a brain tumour. Complications, including a pulmonary embolism and breathing difficulties, led to intensive care admission.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 14 >> She had a planned caesarean but had complications after delivering her healthy baby.

Had a planned caesarean in 2005. Had a complication (placenta accreta) after she'd delivered and had to have a hysterectomy. Following hysterectomy, was in ICU for nearly 2 days, then spent 2 days in her own room in the hospital with her new baby. Discharged herself and has had no problems since.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 38 >> She had vague memories of having a car accident and a scan in hospital, but learnt more about what happened a few days later.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 after having a car accident. Spent about a week in intensive care and 2 weeks in a trauma ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 39 >> She vividly recalled finding her husband in the garden and calling for an ambulance.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 after having an accident in the home. Spent about 4 days in intensive care and 3 days in a trauma ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 71 plus >> Interview 22 >> He often took his daughter's dogs for a walk but on this occasion a little bite led to a serious infection.

Was admitted to ICU in 2004 because of a rare infection caused by slight dog bite. Had finger and toes amputated. Was in intensive care for 17 days and was discharged after a short stay in a general ward. Later attended another hospital for skin grafts.